A government review into building regulations in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire has concluded that indifference and ignorance led to a “race to the bottom” in building safety practices, with cost prioritised over safety. But the answer to the key question of whether the government should ban combustible materials, such as those which spread the flames on Grenfell where 72 people died, was left unclear. Grenfell survivors said they were “disappointed and saddened” that the report rejected their calls for a ban on combustible materials. The housing secretary, James Brokenshire, is due to make a statement on the future of building regulations at around 12.30pm. Hackitt said a new building regulations system should at first focus on buildings of 10 storeys or more.

Source: The Guardian May 17, 2018 08:53 UTC